WASHINGTON — After being named one of the nation's top 150 community colleges by Aspen Institute College Excellence Program Jan. 26, Northwest Florida State College is now eligible to compete for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million dollars in prize funds, as well as Siemens Technical Scholars Program student scholarships.
Criteria for selection included the following:
●Performance (retention, graduation rates including transfers, and degrees and certificates per 100 full-time equivalent students)
●Improvement (awarded for steady improvement in each performance metric over time)
●Equity (evidence of strong completion outcomes for minority and low-income students)
“Northwest Florida State College is honored to once again be chosen among the nation’s most outstanding institutions,” said Dr. Sasha Jarrell, NWFSC interim president.
“To be chosen each year since the inception of this program, speaks volumes to the teamwork and commitment of our faculty, staff and students and the work that they do each day to make our college one of the best.”
The prize, awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges and recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and access and success for minority and low-income students.
Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college.
"We hope it will raise the bar and provide a roadmap to better student outcomes for community colleges nationwide.”
A full list of the selected colleges and details on the selection process are available at www.aspenprize.org.
Northwest Florida State College has been invited to submit an application to the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence containing detailed data on degree and certificate completion (including progress and transfer rates), labor market outcomes (employment and earnings), and student learning outcomes.
Ten finalists will be named in fall 2016. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data. A distinguished Prize Jury will select a grand prize winner and a few finalists with distinction in early 2017.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwest Florida State College named as one of top 150 in the country